FANTASY

Fantasy Player Projections

Wide Receivers

Rank	Team	Player	Projection	Opponent
1			Brandon Marshall 8 rec, 95 yards, 2 rec TDs Reuniting with Jay Cutler should do wonders for Marshall's fantasy value. His quarterbacks since Cutler left him in Denver have included Matt Moore, Chad Henne and Kyle Orton. He should have a field day against the Colts -- 15 targets isn't unreasonable.	vs
2			Victor Cruz 8 rec, 124 yards, rec TD The Cowboys had no answer for Cruz in last season's finale. Dallas rebuilt the cornerback position this offseason and the team still has no answer for the elusive Cruz. Bump him, double him, talk smack ... nothing will help Dallas stop Cruz from making big plays.	vs
3			Calvin Johnson 8 rec, 124 yards, rec TD The Rams added Cortland Finnegan this offseason to bolster the secondary. They could have added all-time Rams great Night Train Lane -- nobody is going to slow Johnson down.	vs
4			Julio Jones 6 rec, 101 yards, rec TD No player was more hyped in the preseason than Jones, who had games of 109 and 90 yards in limited action. Is Jones ready to achieve elite fantasy status? His Week 1 stats will suggest he is.	at
5			Dez Bryant 6 rec, 96 yards, rec TD The Cowboys' top target will eat up a New York defense that has no choice but to start journeyman Michael Coe due to multiple injuries at the cornerback position. Bon appétit!	at
6			DeSean Jackson 6 rec, 96 yards, rec TD Jackson’s new contract only satisfied his bank account; it didn’t earn him the respect he craves. The Browns secondary (ranked among the top five last year in both passing yards allowed per attempt and yards allowed per game) provides a challenge for the big-play wideout.	at
7			Marques Colston 7 rec, 93 yards, rec TD Colston’s sore left foot kept him out of practice on Wednesday but won’t restrict him against Washington on Sunday. Colston caught a 40-yard touchdown in his last game against Washington.	vs
8			Andre Johnson 7 rec, 90 yards, rec TD Injuries continue to haunt the 10-year veteran, as he battled a groin injury this summer. He's healthy now, though, and the Dolphins are ripe for the picking. He caught seven passes for 95 yards and a TD in last year's opener.	vs
9			Brandon Lloyd 5 rec, 89 yards, rec TD It can take receivers time to adjust to a new offense, but that isn’t the case here. Lloyd’s familiarity with OC Josh McDaniels should yield immediate results -- like, Week 1 immediate.	at
10			Larry Fitzgerald 7 rec, 85 yards, rec TD No. 11 seems to produce no matter who plays QB for the Cardinals, but his stats look better with John Skelton under center. He also needs rookie receiver Michael Floyd to develop quickly to take away some heat.	vs
11			Wes Welker 6 rec, 82 yards, rec TD Welker’s stock is slowly falling as part of the league’s deepest passing game. The team cut ‘name’ receivers in recent weeks -- several of them. That said, he is still Tom Brady’s best short-route option.	at
12			Titus Young 4 rec, 81 yards, rec TD Detroit’s other showstopper won’t be ignored in Week 1. The Lions invested a lot of energy in trying to get their downfield threat ready for the limelight. Expect Matthew Stafford to go up top to Young at least twice.	vs
13			A.J. Green 6 rec, 80 yards, rec TD Fantasy owners can't be too excited about Green's opener against a tough Ravens pass defense. In his only game against the Ravens last season, Green caught just two passes for 26 yards. He'll do better this time.	at
14			Steve Smith 6 rec, 80 yards, rec TD Smith posted the second-best season of his career in 2011 once Cam Newton joined the ballclub. In 18 career games against the Bucs, Smith has averaged just 63.6 yards, with six TDs. He's also dealing with a foot infection that could hamper him.	at
15			Torrey Smith 6 rec, 80 yards, rec TD The last time the Ravens hosted the Bengals, Smith had his best game of his short NFL career, with six catches for 165 yards and a touchdown last November.	vs
16			Vincent Jackson 5 rec, 75 yards, rec TD The former Charger is already the second-best wide receiver in Buccaneers history, behind Keyshawn Johnson. The Bucs are planning to run the ball, but they'll need Jackson to help keep defenses honest.	vs
17			Malcom Floyd 5 rec, 75 yards, rec TD With Vincent Brown out with an ankle injury, the Chargers turn to Malcom Floyd as the WR2 alongside Robert Meachem. The Raiders' pass defense is weak at the corners, so Floyd could do some damage in Week 1.	at
18			Greg Jennings 5 rec, 70 yards, rec TD The Niners pose a difficult test for the Packers' passing game, but Jennings has scored in each season opener over the past three years, averaging six catches for 92 receiving yards per game.	vs
19			Darrius Heyward-Bey 5 rec, 70 yards, rec TD A shoulder injury slowed DHB in the preseason, but he should be fine for Week 1 against the Chargers. This could be the year he finally breaks the 1,000-yard receiving mark.	vs
20			Demaryius Thomas 6 rec, 65 yards, rec TD The Broncos are going up against the top passing defense from a year ago, when the Steelers kept teams under 172 net passing yards. Thomas, however, is a playmaker and should see the paint at least once. He caught five preseason passes for 53 yards.	vs
21			Hakeem Nicks 4 rec, 62 yards, rec TD Nicks is expected to return for Week 1 after missing the entire preseason with a foot injury. Don't take this to mean he is 100% -- even if the foot is fully healed, Nicks hasn't played a competitive down since the Super Bowl.	vs
22			Reggie Wayne 6 rec, 60 yards, rec TD The veteran chose to stay in Indianapolis and bridge the gap from Peyton Manning to Andrew Luck. Without Manning, Wayne failed to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the first time since 2003. Luck's arm should help Wayne to a bounce-back season.	at
23			Jordy Nelson 5 rec, 60 yards, rec TD The Packers' No. 2 receiver loves the big play -- and he'll need one against a tough Niners defense that bends but doesn't break. He caught six passes for 77 yards and a TD in last year's opener.	vs
24			Antonio Brown 5 rec, 60 yards, rec TD There's a great chance 2012 will be the year Antonio Brown becomes a top 10 fantasy receiver. Entering his third year, he has done everything right so far. Don't let his two touchdowns in 2011 fool you.	at
25			Lance Moore 4 rec, 58 yards, rec TD Marques Colston will see more balls thrown his direction, but Moore will make more big plays against a Redskins defense that allowed 7.5 yards per passing attempt last year.	vs
26			Mike Wallace 5 rec, 55 yards, rec TD Mike Wallace is no longer sitting on his couch, and he has been practicing this week. Is he completely in shape and familiar with Todd Haley's playbook? Those are the big questions.	at
27			Eric Decker 5 rec, 50 yards, rec TD Decker became a favorite among fantasy owners when he caught two touchdown passes from Peyton Manning in the third preseason game. He can box out in the end zone for sure.	vs
28			Danny Amendola 4 rec, 45 yards, rec TD Amendola is probably the Rams' best all-around receiver, and is now the elder statesman for a group of newcomers at the position. If and when Sam Bradford guides the Rams inside the red zone, expect him to call on Amendola’s number.	at
29			Doug Baldwin 5 rec, 40 yards, rec TD With Sidney Rice still working his way back to 100 percent, the Seahawks will look to the second-year man to pick up the slack. Unfortunately, Baldwin is also working his way back from a hamstring injury. That said, the Cardinals' pass defense was mediocre in 2011.	at
30			Stevie Johnson 6 rec, 93 yards Few receivers frustrated Darrelle Revis as much as Johnson did last year (159 yards in two games). Johnson will see the lion’s share of looks from Ryan Fitzpatrick, especially on key downs when Fitzpatrick has no one else to turn to.	at
31			Percy Harvin 6 rec, 83 yards Harvin ended 2011 on a high note, with six or more catches in six of the Vikings final eight games. He’ll begin 2012 on the same pace. No one defender -- at least no one on Jacksonville’s defense -- can shadow Harvin for 60 minutes.	vs
32			Roddy White 6 rec, 79 yards White spent the preseason praising teammate Julio Jones’ growth in the offense. White is still a special player, and probably will be a more consistent performer for fantasy owners. And, oh yeah, last time he faced the Chiefs, he recorded 119 yards and a touchdown (just sayin’).	at
33			Dwayne Bowe 6 rec, 78 yards Bowe has gotten off to a slow start the past two years (two catches for 17 yards in Week 1 last year; one catch for 13 yards in the 2010 season opener). It’s a trend fantasy owners should expect to continue for a third year. Bowe saw very little action this preseason after arriving to camp late. Hold off a week.	vs
34			Santonio Holmes 4 rec, 67 yards Injured ribs kept Holmes at bay for much of the preseason, but the Jets have no choice now but to unleash their No. 1 receiver. He caught a touchdown in each of the two meetings against Buffalo last year, but with 29 and 22 yards, respectively. You want that?	vs
35			Steve Smith 5 rec, 65 yards Finally healthy, Smith will complement Danny Amendola in the offense as a possession receiver, which could pay dividends this week in a game in which both clubs will be doing an awful lot of passing.	at
36			Michael Crabtree 5 rec, 65 yards Entering his fourth season, Crabtree is hoping to take that next step to stardom. He'll turn 25 years old next week, and a leaner body -- along with veterans Randy Moss, Vernon Davis and Mario Manningham around him -- could signify a breakout season.	at
37			Nate Washington 5 rec, 62 yards When the No. 1 receiver (Kenny Britt) is unavailable, everyone else steps up a spot on the depth chart. Some No. 2 receivers can handle the No. 1 role; some cannot. Washington is one who cannot.	vs
38			Laurent Robinson 4 rec, 61 yards Robinson is an intriguing play against a new-look Vikings secondary. He is the Jaguars’ No. 1 receiver, for now, but may not necessarily draw opposing teams’ top cornerback.	at
39			Greg Little 4 rec, 57 yards The good news is that Little remains the best target on the Browns roster. The bad news is that Nnamdi Asomugha eats receivers better than Little for lunch.	vs
40			Miles Austin 4 rec, 57 yards Austin's hamstring kept him on the sideline in August, but he had a good week of practice and all reports suggest he'll be in the lineup Wednesday night. The Cowboys will limit his touches, of course, and the nature of the injury will limit Austin's explosiveness.	at
41			Pierre Garcon 3 rec, 57 yards Garcon was targeted seven times in the Redskins’ third preseason game -- more than double any other receiver. He will again be the focus of the Redskins’ passing game, and should improve upon his performance from his last meeting against New Orleans (three catches for 31 yards last year).	at
42			Robert Meachem 4 rec, 55 yards When was the last time a No. 2 WR from one team signed with another team to become the No. 1 WR and had success? It could be a tough season for Meachem’s fantasy owners. (See Alvin Harper.)	at
43			Davone Bess 5 rec, 55 yards Bess probably isn't even happy that he's the Dolphins' No. 1 receiver, but that's the reality. He could be targeted a lot, but he has never been much of a playmaker.	at
44			Justin Blackmon 3 rec, 54 yards Blackmon sustained an ankle injury in Wednesday’s practice, making him a question mark for Week 1. If he does go, fantasy owners should expect for him to get as many looks as Laurent Robinson, although Blackmon is already the Jaguars’ preferred target in the red zone.	at
45			Kendall Wright 3 rec, 48 yards The team’s top draft choice had his moments this preseason. But his eyes will be as glossy as Locker’s in his first NFL start. Wright is part of Tennessee’s future, not its present – at least not this week.	vs
46			Nate Burleson 3 rec, 47 yards Burleson continues to play an integral role in the Detroit offense as a possession receiver, but to fantasy owners he is close to being irrelevant. Expect his looks to be trimmed down considerably from last year.	vs
47			Brandon LaFell 4 rec, 45 yards The third-year receiver had the only 100-yard receiving game of his career against the Bucs last season. He had a relatively quiet preseason (three catches for 53 yards), but he's a popular sleeper candidate for 2012.	at
48			Anquan Boldin 4 rec, 45 yards The 10-year veteran caught seven passes for 78 yards and a touchdown in three preseason games. But he was only healthy for one game against the Bengals last year -- and he caught just one pass for 35 yards.	vs
49			Sidney Rice 4 rec, 45 yards After offseason shoulder surgery, it has been a slow go for Rice this summer. He'll be ready to play in Week 1, but it's doubtful he'll be able to produce at a top-notch level.	at
50			Josh Gordon 3 rec, 44 yards Gordon was the most targeted receiver in Cleveland’s final preseason game, and he performed well when Cleveland met Philadelphia on August 24 (three catches for 50 yards). Don’t get too excited, however. This is the real deal now, and Gordon is just another rookie trying to catch on.	vs
51			Josh Morgan 3 rec, 42 yards Morgan earned the Redskins’ No. 2 starting spot ahead of Leonard Hankerson, but Washington will use a fleet of receivers to complement Pierre Garcon and TE Fred Davis. No reason for fantasy owners to pay much attention here.	at
52			Jeremy Maclin 3 rec, 41 yards DeSean Jackson or Maclin? Maclin or Jackson? Fantasy owners never quite know which player to choose in a given week. We’re giving the nod to Jackson this week, but only because Maclin missed so much time recovering from illness.	at
53			Denarius Moore 3 rec, 40 yards Moore has battled a hamstring injury all preseason, but he has been running this week and should be ready to go for the Raiders' opener. In two games against the Chargers, Moore caught eight passes for 224 yards and two TDs.	vs
54			Stephen Hill 3 rec, 39 yards The team’s second round rookie caught just nine passes this preseason. Hardly impressive, but good enough to earn reps in this passing offense. We’re keeping expectations low for now.	vs
55			Domenik Hixon 3 rec, 38 yards Hixon will replace Mario Manningham as the No. 3 receiver in New York?s passing attack. He is no Manningham. If there is a reason for optimism this week, it's that Dallas is thin on talent in the secondary.	vs
56			Julian Edelman 3 rec, 37 yards Somebody has to have a slow day for this passing game, right? Edelman is a forgotten weapon in Tom Brady’s bag of tricks, but he’ll get at least a few looks to stay on the fantasy radar.	at
57			Steve Breaston 3 rec, 36 yards For now, Breaston will start opposite Dwayne Bowe, even though Dexter McCluster and Jon Baldwin are making their cases for more reps. This week, Breaston will be the odd man out for a passing offense still trying to find its rhythm.	vs
58			Michael Jenkins 2 rec, 35 yards Jenkins will keep Jerome Simpson’s seat warm while the offseason addition serves his suspension. Jenkins may go unnoticed in this contest, as most of Christian Ponder’s throws will head in the direction of either Percy Harvin or one of the team’s tight ends.	vs
59			Randy Moss 3 rec, 35 yards The veteran receiver hasn't played a game since January of 2011, but he'll be facing a secondary that loves to gamble. He's worth giving a shot as a flex or WR3 in Week 1. The Niners have a lot of players for Green Bay to worry about.	at
60			Alshon Jeffery 3 rec, 35 yards The rookie will have plenty of room to work, as defenses shift attention to Brandon Marshall and Matt Forte. Jeffery is a player to watch as the season progresses.	vs
61			Andre Roberts 3 rec, 35 yards Roberts seems to be a placeholder until rookie Michael Floyd can learn how to run routes. Roberts, however, is a player to watch. Many had tabbed him as a breakout WR last season, but he disappointed.	vs
62			Austin Collie 3 rec, 35 yards Collie suffered his fourth concussion in two years during the preseason, but he's expected to be ready for Sunday. Fantasy owners get nearly as many headaches dealing with Collie in their lineup as he does. He's still a weapon in PPR leagues when he's healthy.	at
63			Kevin Walter 3 rec, 35 yards Walter is essentially Andre Johnson's caddy, and he's not worth playing in most fantasy leagues. If Johnson gets hurt (a frequent occurrence), that could change things.	vs
64			Donald Jones 2 rec, 31 yards Jones can’t offer much to fantasy owners, especially against a deep and talented New York secondary. He is one of several secondary receivers that will be used to complement Steve Johnson.	at
65			Devery Henderson 2 rec, 31 yards Henderson’s role may change this season with the loss of Robert Meachem, but it won’t be noticeable in Week 1, as New Orleans will stick to its core group of weapons against a Redskins secondary that can be picked apart from every angle.	vs
66			Mike Williams 3 rec, 30 yards Willliams is coming off a tough sophomore season, but now he'll get to work against the second-best corner on the opposing team. In two games against Carolina last season, he caught nine passes for 132 yards and no TDs.	vs
67			Dwayne Harris 2 rec, 29 yards Harris caught eight balls this preseason, including three for touchdowns, and averaged more than 20 yards per reception. Back to reality. Many believe he can replace Laurent Robinson as Dallas' No. 3 receiver this season, but in this game's his contribution will be minimal.	at
68			Harry Douglas 2 rec, 29 yards After Julio Jones, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez take their fair share from Kansas City’s secondary, there will be little left over for Douglas … as usual.	at
69			Legedu Naanee 3 rec, 25 yards Naanee comes to South Florida via Carolina and San Diego. With the Panthers last season, he had 44 catches for 467 yards. Unfortunately, his rookie QB this season isn't expected to do what his rookie QB did last season.	at
70			Santana Moss 2 rec, 24 yards Even in this contest -- likely a shootout -- Moss carries virtually no fantasy value. The Redskins will use him in multiple receiver sets from the slot, but the team will take care of Pierre Garcon, Josh Morgan and TE Fred Davis first.	at
71			Brian Quick 1 rec, 23 yards The rookie offers Sam Bradford a larger target than Danny Amendola or Steve Smith when St. Louis is within scoring range. Fantasy owners shouldn’t shop for him on the waiver wire quite yet, though. Quick saw limited action in the preseason, and won’t see much time on Sunday, either.	at
72			Brandon Tate 2 rec, 18 yards Tate is basically the best of bad options in Cincy, with the other WR2 candidates being rookie Mohamed Sanu, Armon Binns and Marvin Jones.	at

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